Le Dinh Trong, 40, was deputy chief inspector at the local transport department in 2013 when he took bribes from a Ho Chi Minh City company to allow its overloaded trucks in the province.

Investigators found that a team of inspectors led by Trong caught four container trucks belonging to Hiep Toan Company in early 2013 and let them go after four days without any penalty.

Trong had said at the time it was the “first violation” by the company.

It is not known if Trong released the vehicles after taking money, but the company then offered payment for his protection.

Police found Nguyen Trong Toan, an employee of the company, had transferred VND40 million (US$1,830) to Trong’s bank account and none of the company’s heavy trucks have faced any problem crossing the province.

Toan is charged with giving bribes.

The prosecutors also charged Nguyen Xuan Chung of another company based in the neighboring Dak Lak Province for paying bribes of at least VND29 million to Trong’s subordinate Nguyen Tan Man for the same purpose.

Man’s crime was discovered late last year, but during questioning at a police station he jumped to his death from the second floor, police said.